A Hidden Past
by MacKynzie
Summary: Lucas meets a friend that learns more about him than she bargained for. There is now an epilogue!! Yeah!!
1. Introduction

  
Author: MacKynzie  
Rating: PG-13   
Part 1/6  
Disclaimer: SeaQuest and all her characters aren't mine, I'm just borrowing them.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A Hidden Past  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey, Lucas" Tim O'Neill called, trying to catch his young   
  
friends attention.  
  
"Oh, great," Lucas muttered under his breath. One of the people   
  
he'd been trying to avoid. He didn't want to get stuck on a transport   
  
back to SeaQuest with one of his friends prattling on about how great   
  
their two week shore leave had been. His had been a living hell and   
  
Lucas wished everyone else's had been too. But he plastered a smile on   
  
his face, quickly putting his hand into his coat pocket in the process.  
  
"Hey, Lucas" Tim said again, out of breath as he finally caught   
  
up to the teen. Lucas studied Tim's excited face and hiper bouncing.   
  
Smiling inwardly, Lucas asked the question he knew would keep the Lt.   
  
occupied during the trip to SeaQuest and God forbid possibly longer:   
  
"So, Tim . . . how was your shore leave?"  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
Thump! Finally! Lucas thought. He'd spent the last 30 minutes   
  
listening to every family story Tim had ever heard, or so it seemed.   
  
Not to mention the late transport, which compounded the problem a   
  
hundred-fold. Now all he wanted to do was go to his quarters, lock the   
  
door, and not come out for a couple days. Or months, Lucas thought, as   
  
Tim finally finished the saga of his shore leave. " So then my niece   
  
says: But mommy I thought that man was a doctor!" Tim started laughing   
  
uproariously and Lucas forced a chuckled. Fwish! The hatch opened and   
  
Lucas jumped out of his seat racing to be the first one out. Tim was   
  
still laughing so hard he hadn't noticed Lucas' quick departure. He   
  
got up from his seat. "Lucas? Hmm, musta been funnier then I   
  
thought!"   
  
Tim grabbed his bags and made his way to the hatch. Stepping   
  
out, he noticed Bridger and Ford. "Captain, Commander" he said.   
  
"Tim" Bridger replied looking distracted. "Is anything wrong with   
  
Lucas? He tore by here looking rather traumatized."  
  
Tim frowned, perplexed. "Well, I just finished telling him about my   
  
shore leave. Must've been laughing really hard, Captain." Tim said,   
  
pleased he'd found the answer. "Well," he said, making his way past   
  
them. "See you on the bridge." Bridger and Ford nodded and when he was   
  
out of earshot they looked at each other and burst out laughing. "Hmm,   
  
more serious then I thought!" Bridger finally managed to get out.   
  
"Yeah." Ford agreed.  
  
***  
  
Lucas set his bags down in his quarters and looked around.   
  
Everything was just as he'd left it. Of course it was clean,   
  
unfortunetly. Bridger had ordered all crew quarters spotless for the   
  
maintenance and cleaning crews. Lucas hated having his room clean like   
  
it was. It reminded him too much of his room at his father's house.   
  
'Well, the guest room I used, anyway,' Lucas thought ruefully.   
  
Messing the place up could wait. His bed looked very inviting right   
  
now. But first, he had to check his wrist.   
  
Lucas slowly took off his large coat, so as not to aggrevate his   
  
bruises. He examined the brace; still secure. Good. He turned and   
  
began rummaging through his bags, searching for the painkillers he'd   
  
picked up. His whole body hurt like hell.   
  
Since there was no chance Lucas would go to a doctors office, he   
  
had simply hacked into a drugstore computer, wrote himself a   
  
perscription, and picked it up. Determining the wrist hadn't been   
  
broken, Lucas had grabbed the brace too.  
  
'The wrist' Lucas thought, wrly. 'His wrist. No, it was better   
  
to be detached.'Finally finding the object of his search, he grabbed   
  
the bottle and took a couple. Working with Kristen had taught him to   
  
get the right medication and not overdose on it. That much he was very   
  
thankful for. Lucas stuffed the bottle in his bag, burying it under   
  
his clothes. Wouldn't want anyone to come in here and find it. Lucas   
  
gingerly sat himself on his bed, hissing in pain as he eased himself   
  
into a laying postion. The pain wasn't so bad and Lucas knew it could   
  
have been worse. Much, much worse. He had been lucky and gotten off   
  
easy, that much he knew. That was as far as he got before he fell into   
  
oblivion.   
  
  
***  
  
  
"Please stop. No!! I'll fix it. Please, dad, stop!! Ahh!" Lucas   
  
sat up like a bullet. His whole body frozen. He breathed a sigh of   
  
relief. It was only a dream. Nightmare. It was kind of funny; the only   
  
time he screamed was in his dreams. When it was really happening he   
  
just took it stoicly, not making a noise, not giving his father the   
  
satisfaction of hearing or seeing that he was in pain. Retreating into   
  
the recesses of his mind, the only place his father couldn't touch. Not   
  
yet, anyway. That only served to annoy his father and   
  
he invariably took it as a challenge. The great Dr. Wolenczak, couldn't   
  
even crack his own son. And Lucas intended to keep it that way. His   
  
mother was the same way, chiseling away at his defenses, trying to   
  
make him crack. She prefered verbally assaulting him and that was fine   
  
with Lucas. He would just stand there and take it, his face a cold,   
  
hard mask. His cobalt blue eyes like ice chips. He would never let them   
  
win. No matter what.   
  
Lucas shook himself out of his dark thoughts. 'It wasn't so   
  
bad,' he thought, trying to be positive. He could take a lot of pain   
  
and he knew how to fight dirty. That would help someday.   
  
'Yeah, it's not so bad,' Lucas thought again, his eyes resting on   
  
the alarm clock on his nightstand. 1400 hours. He had only managed 2   
  
hours of sleep. It didn't really matter, he rarely slept more than 4 or   
  
5 hours a night, anyway. Besides, his shift on the bridge started at   
  
1630 and with all those bruises and scrapes it would no doubt take him  
  
2 hours to get ready.  
  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
Promptly at 1630 hours, Lucas reported to the bridge and lucky   
  
for him things were hectic and no one noticed the brace on his wrist.   
  
Apparently a virus had just been found in SeaQuest's computer system   
  
and it was wreaking havoc.   
  
Lucas, christening the virus Lila, spent the next 24 hours   
  
running around the ship from system-to-system, computer-to-computer   
  
chasing the bug.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Finally! Lucas sat up from underneath the console. He had   
  
successfully managed to eradicate it. He checked his watch for the   
  
first time since he had started. Lucas did a double take. 25 hours!!   
  
No wonder he was so exhausted. His wrist and whole body ached. Lucas   
  
felt as if he had been run over by a truck. On the plus side, his   
  
little nap had helped and he did feel better than he would have if he   
  
had just jumped in. Another bonus was that no one had really bothered   
  
him. Everyone knew he was working as fast as he could. A couple of   
  
fellow computer techs had helped as much as they could in the   
  
beginning, but the virus was very complicated and they soon became a   
  
nuisance to Lucas, who was the only one that had any idea how to get   
  
rid of it.   
  
Now that he thought about it, Lucas was very surprised   
  
Bridger or Westphalen hadn't come to tear him away from his computers   
  
to take a break. But, then again, he knew they both were very busy   
  
helping to get the ship back up and running. After a 2 week shore   
  
leave they both were knee-deep in paper work and other various tasks.  
  
A sudden and insistent beeping brought Lucas' attention back to   
  
the present. "Dammit!" Lucas swore loudly. "Dammit to Hell!!!" Lila   
  
was back.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Bridger frowned. He had just spoken with Kristen. Figuring she   
  
would be the one to check up on Lucas, he hadn't really thought about   
  
it. Bridger had also been up for nearly 25 hours with only a few short   
  
naps to curb exhaustion. When he did think about it he realized that   
  
he hadn't seen Lucas for several hours.Knowing Lucas had been hard at   
  
work to eradicate Lila, he had foolishly thought that Lucas would take   
  
a break sometime. Lila. Nathan chuckled, wondering just where  
  
Lucas had come up with the name. His chuckle died quickly, however,   
  
when he thought of Lucas. The teen hardly ever took a break when he   
  
was working unless he was forced to. Stupid, stupid, stupid!! Bridger   
  
mentally berated himself. And then there was Dr. Westphalen. That   
  
conversation hadn't gone well.  
  
Unfortunetly, she too was swamped with work and had assumed that   
  
he, Nathan Bridger, would check on the teen. Kristen was also worried   
  
when it became apparent that neither of them had seen the 16 year old   
  
in several hours. Bridger quickly left and began asking around, seeing   
  
if anyone had seen him.  
  
After asking all of the senior officers, checking Lucas' various   
  
work stations, and quarters ( where Bridger found Lucas' PAL) with no   
  
sign of the boy, the Captain was now wandering aimlessly around the   
  
ship searching. With orders out to the senior staff to keep their eyes   
  
open, Bridger hoped it wouldn't be long before someone found the boy.  
  
The computer bug was still present, so Bridger knew Lucas was still   
  
hard at work somewhere .  
  
"Dammit!" The loud curse alerted Nathan to someone else's   
  
presence. Where? He continued walking. There! Around the courner he   
  
saw tennis-shoe clad feet sticking out from inside a bulkhead. As   
  
Bridger approached, he was assualted by a colorful string of   
  
expletives. It was definetly Lucas' voice. While Bridger   
  
hadn't had the pleasure of hearing Lucas swear very often, it was   
  
apparent he had talent.  
  
"Lucas?" Bridger questioned when the litany was over. "Lucas." No   
  
response. "Lucas." More insistant now.  
  
"Yeah, yeah. Hang on." Bridger raised an eyebrow, but didn't   
  
reply. Leaning against the wall, he waited. One minute. Two. "Lucas."   
  
Another two minutes. "Lucas."  
  
Another 3 minutes. Bridger finally sat down next ot the tennis-shoe   
  
clad feet, subjected to the occasional furious curse.  
  
A seemingly endless 10 minutes later Lucas shouted, "Yes!!"  
  
Bridger stood up, startled. "Lucas?" A triumphant Lucas emerged.   
  
Surprising the Captain, Lucas reached out and tapped Bridger's PAL.   
  
Calling the bridge, Lucas asked Commander Ford to check the computer   
  
and communcations sensory unit.   
  
"Stand by," Ford replied. "Wow!" Ford's amazed voice came back a  
  
moment later. It wasn't easy to impress the Commander. "Not only is the   
  
virus eradicated, but resolution has increased by 23%. Nice job   
  
Lucas."  
  
"My pleasure, Commander."   
  
That finally accomplished, Lucas turned to Bridger, fully   
  
noticing him for the first time. Bridger, meanwhile, was just standing   
  
there staring at Lucas, shocked by his appearence. There were dark   
  
circles around his blue, bloodshot eyes. His thin face was pale,   
  
making Lucas' eyes stand out.  
  
"Captain?" When he received no reply, Lucas turned and began   
  
replacing the panel to the bulkhead, wincing at the thought of the   
  
chewing out he was about to receive.   
  
"Lucas." Bridger finally managed to get out. Lucas turned back   
  
to the Captain, the panel in place.   
  
"Ah, yes, Captain." Lucas said, suddenly finding the floor very   
  
interesting.  
  
"You look terrible, kid." Bridger exclaimed.  
  
"Thanks, Captain." Lucas replied wryly.  
  
"When is the last time you've eaten or slept?!"  
  
"Uh, well, I've been kinda busy here, Captain, but I'm done and   
  
I'm going to get some sleep right now." Lucas hurried on, eager to   
  
escape the Captain's wrath.  
  
  
"Lucas," Bridger began, suspicious "how many hours straight were   
  
you working?" Knowing Lucas was the master of evasion and lying by   
  
omission, Bridger knew to be very specific in his question.  
  
Lucas looked away, guilty, his eyes darting anywhere and   
  
everywhere but Bridger's penetrating gaze. "Uh, well, a coupla hours, I   
  
guess."  
  
"You guess?" Bridger replied, skeptically. " How many, exactly?"  
  
"Uh, 10, maybe 15."  
  
Bridger's eyes narrowed, that didn't sound right. "Lucas" he   
  
warned.  
  
"Well, maybe 20."  
  
"Lucas,"  
  
"Alright, maybe, maybe 25."  
  
"25!!" Bridger exclaimed, guilty and mad at himself that he   
  
hadn't checked on the boy hours ago.  
  
"I'm going right to bed now, Captain. No harm done, right?"   
  
Lucas quickly slipped past Bridger and started walking down the   
  
corrider.  
  
"Wrong. I don't want to see you anywhere near a workstation for   
  
2 days!"  
  
Lucas whirled around, "2 days?!" he exclaimed, "but Captain, I've   
  
got--"  
  
Lucas stopped at Bridger's fierce look. "Care to make it 3?"   
  
Lucas quickly raised his arms in surrender at the threat and made   
  
his escape.  
  
"25 hours! Bridger what were you thinking?!" Bridger berated   
  
himself as he stalked down the corrider.  
  
"Nathan!" a prim British voice called. Oh, great, just what he   
  
needed. It was his own fault, however, he'd foolishly managed to walk   
  
right past the MedBay.  
  
  
***  
  
  
"25 hours?!" Kristen exclaimed, outraged at what Bridger had just   
  
told her. "How could you let him work for 25 hours straight?! You know   
  
how he is; he'd work until he dropped if we let him! Why didn't you   
  
check on him?!"  
  
"Why didn't you?!" Bridger furiously countered, effectively   
  
silencing her.  
  
Kristen looked away. "You're right, I'm sorry I yelled at you.   
  
I should have checked on him."   
  
"No, no, this is my fault. I should have made sure he was   
  
resting. Well, anyway, I can guarentee he'll be taking it easy: I gave   
  
him the next two days off. Lucas is not to show his face anywhere near   
  
any major computer or workstation."  
  
Kristen nodded her approval. "You need to get some rest   
  
yourself." she said, taking in his bedraggled appearence.  
  
"Alright, I'm going, I'm going."  
  
"To bed" she finished.  
  
"Yeah, to bed." he called over his shoulder as he exited the   
  
MedBay. First stop would be the bridge. Afterall, it wouldn't due to   
  
have the flagship of the UEO just sitting in dock for too long. Then,   
  
when SeaQuest was finally under way, Captain Nathan Bridger would head   
  
to his quarters for some much needed rest.  
  
In all the excitment, Bridger had failed to notice the brace   
  
that adorned Lucas' wrist.  
  
***  
  
  
The next two days were a nightmare. For Lucas anyway. He was   
  
already behind in his work from shoreleave and Lila, the computer   
  
virus, and now the Captain ordered 2 days off. 2 days! Lucas didn't   
  
need anymore vacation, he had just gotten back from a 2-week break!!   
  
Lucas hadn't even bothered to try and argue, knowing it would   
  
just lengthen his sentence. Well, at least he finally got most of the   
  
paperwork done that had been gathering for awhile. If it was one thing   
  
he hated, it was paperwork. And, it also gave his battered body a   
  
chance to recover. In another day, he would take off the brace   
  
permently. Lucas was doubtful anyone had noticed or even thought about   
  
it.   
  
'Speaking of which,' Lucas thought as he slowly rose out of his   
  
chair, hissing in pain in the process, and walked into his bathroom.   
  
He carefully pulled off the turtleneck he wore, and procceded to   
  
examine his battered torso and arms. Lucas winced slightly as he saw   
  
the very visible hand prints on his arms. Those probably wouldn't fade   
  
for another 4 or 5 days. Then, there were the massive black and blue   
  
bruises that encompassed his entire left side. Not to mention the   
  
plethora of bruises and scrapes that covered nearly every square   
  
inch of his body. It would no doubt be at least a week, probably 2,   
  
before he could handle any heavy activity. Oh, he was very good at  
  
hiding it, and no one would find out. He'd done it before and he would   
  
do it again. Simple as that.  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
Lucas yawned and checked the clock. 0400. He got off his stool   
  
and stretched out the kinks in his body. Technically, his 2 day exile   
  
was over, but he didn't think that Bridger or Westphalen would buy that   
  
excuse.  
  
At exactly 0001 Lucas had dashed out of his quarters and into the   
  
moonpool. There was tons of work that needed to be done. Experiments to   
  
finish, inventions to create, so much to do and so little time! And  
  
there was the big thing. THE EQUATION. Definintly time to work on that.   
  
'Maybe I should call it a night. Get some shut-eye. Yeah,   
  
right,' Lucas smirked as he slurped more coffee down. Hmm-mm. Coffee.   
  
The breakfast of champions. Lucas liked his straight. No cream or   
  
sugar, just plain old black. The only way to drink it.   
  
Lucas smiled, he was going nuts; talking himself about coffee. It   
  
was insanity. He smiled again, he really did love coffee. Lucas sighed   
  
and sat himself back on his stool. Back to work.  
  
***  
  
  
Thump! Nathan sighed as he contemplated the slop, which was   
  
supposedly lunch, being unceremoniously dumped onto his tray. Bridger   
  
frowned and made his way over to Kristen Westphalen.  
  
"Oh, hello, Nathan. Rough morning?" she asked sympathetically.  
  
"You have no idea." he returned  
  
Glancing up, Nathan noticed a rather frazzled and sour looking   
  
Lucas enter the mess. Kristen glanced up also.  
  
"That reminds me, I didn't notice Lucas at breakfast this   
  
morning." Kristen said, concerned.  
  
"He probably slept in. I knew those 2 days R and R would do him   
  
some good. You know, for someone who has been sleeping for 2 days and   
  
is able to return to work, he sure looks irratated."  
  
  
"Lucas!" she called, waving him over. Lucas didn't even glance in   
  
their direction, but rather having just grabbed a roll, was leaving the   
  
crowded dining area.  
  
"Hmm, what's wrong with him?" Kristen asked, nonplussed at the   
  
teen's behavior.  
  
"I don't know," Bridger frowned. He knew when Lucas became   
  
involved in something he rarely heard anything that was going on around   
  
him.   
  
"I'll go have a talk with him, see what's up. Later."  
  
"Yes, waiting would probably be wise." Kristen replied  
  
Bridger sighed again as he returned to his plate. It would  
  
probably kill him.  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
Lucas had moved from the moonpool to his office. There were   
  
papers strewn everywhere and 3 computer moniters displaying long,   
  
complicated numbers and equations. All this just to prove someone   
  
wrong. His father and many other scientists said it couldn't be done.   
  
That particular equation was strictly theoretical and it couldn't be   
  
solved. But Lucas was determined to prove them all wrong. Ahh! It   
  
was so frustrating! Lucas was pretty much furious by now, they were  
  
probably right, it probably couldn't be solved.  
  
Suddenly, he whirled around and grabbed the headphones that   
  
had been discarded hours ago and slapped them on. Usually, they helped   
  
him to think. Sighing, Lucas grabbed a piece of chalk and, unaware that   
  
he was humming to the music, started mapping out the long multi-  
  
variable equation again, searching for any and all flaws.  
  
***  
  
Nathan knocked on the closed door that bore the label Wolenczak,   
  
Lucas, Computer Analyst. Receiving no response, Nathan walked in and   
  
gaped at the mess before him. Recovering, he looked at the chalkboard   
  
and recieved an instant headache. The long complicated numbers and   
  
equations was enough to turn anyone's stomach. Lucas stood in front of   
  
it, tapping the chalk against the board, alternatly humming to his   
  
headphones and muttering something under his   
  
breath.   
  
"Lucas?" Bridger stepped forward, trying not to step on papers   
  
and placed his hand on Lucas' shoulder. Big mistake. In a flurry of   
  
motion, Lucas whirled around and took the defensive. Nathan coughed,   
  
trying to get his breath back, very much aware of the fact he was   
  
now sprawled face-up on the cluttered floor.  
  
Lucas blinked and snapped out of it. "Oh, geez. Captain I'm so   
  
sorry. I didn't mean to knock you over like that. Oh, man, I'm so   
  
sorry." Lucas frantically apologized as he helped Bridger up.  
  
"Hey, it's alright, Lucas." Bridger replied, his breath returned.   
  
"I shouldn't have snuck up on you like that. Don't worry about it. No   
  
harm done."  
  
"Are you sure you're o.k.?" Lucas questioned quietly, still   
  
concerned.  
  
"I'm fine." Bridger said firmly. "What are you working on,   
  
anyway?"   
  
At this, Lucas' expression darkened. Strike 2, Bridger thought wryly.   
  
"THE EQUATION!" Lucas practically shouted. "This stupid   
  
equation!" He snapped in furious frustration.  
  
"Now, Lucas, calm down. You just need to take a break and--"  
  
"You don't understand, Captain." Lucas said more reasonably. "I   
  
worked on it before I left. Then I took a break. A 2-week, 3-day break  
  
in fact. Now I've been at it for--" Lucas hesitated slightly "a few  
  
hours and still nothing to show for it. Nothing!"  
  
Bridger noticed the slight hesitation but decided not to push the   
  
matter, the teen was riled enough as it was and Bridger already had 2   
  
strikes against him.   
  
"Lucas listen to me; you should be very proud of yourself. No one  
  
your age would even think about tackling something like this. Heck,  
  
most people my age wouldn't. You are a extremely intelligent young man;  
  
you already has so many accomplishments under your belt. The Vocorder,   
  
numerous computer gadgets, software, and who knows what else. If you   
  
don't solve the equation, it really isn't the end of the world.  
  
Lucas was frowning glumly, but he nodded his head slowly.  
  
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Lucas paused. "Thanks,   
  
Captain, I needed that."  
  
"That's what captains are for. Now, I want you to take a real   
  
break and eat some real food." Bridger said, looking pointedly at the   
  
roll, sitting uneaten on Lucas' desk. "And not just a cup of coffee,   
  
either." Bridger added, knowing how Lucas was when it came to coffee.   
  
"Alright?" Bridger asked, making his way out of the cramped   
  
office.  
  
"O.K. Thanks and sorry again about the-- you know." Lucas   
  
replied, taking a sip of coffee.  
  
"Don't worry about it. And I expect to see you at dinner."  
  
"Yes, sir." Lucas gave a mock-salute. Bridger just smiled and   
  
shut the door behind him.   
  
Nathan frowned, however, as he walked to his quarters pondering   
  
Lucas' strong reaction to the simple touch on his shoulder.   
  
"No, Bridger, you're just paranoid. He was just startled." Nathan   
  
told himself firmly. But something inside of him made Nathan think it   
  
was an incident he would remember for a long time.  
***  
  



	2. Going Home

Author: MacKynzie  
Rating: PG-13  
Part: 2/6  
  
  
  
  
  
A Hidden Past - Part 2  
  
  
  
"Hey, Mom, what's up?" Lucas questioned, only an hour later.  
"Don't talk to me like that you little bastard!"  
Great. Lucas sighed inwardly. 5 minutes in and he had already managed to irratate his mother.  
"Now, listen here. You're going to come and stay with me for awhile."  
"What?!" Lucas exploded " You can't be serious! I'm right in the middle of some very critical experiments. I couldn't possibly leave. There's just no way I-"  
" Shut up! " Cynthia yelled " I have a chance at a new job that you, my so called genius son, are going to help me get. You are not going to screw this up for me! Do you understand that?! " She sneered, not waiting for an answer. " You're going to make nice with all the executives, ask intelligent questions, and amaze them with your computer skills. Now, SeaQuest is going to dock in Australia next week for supplies and you will be getting off and on to the next plane bound for New York. If I don't get this job, there will be hell to pay! Do we understand one another?" Cynthia asked dangerously.   
Lucas nodded, resignedly. He knew it would be something like this. That was all he was good for to his parents. To flaunt him around at fancy receptions and dinners to further their careers. It had been that way his entire life. Nothing had changed just because he was living away from them on SeaQuest.  
"Good. I'll see you in a week then." And with that she signed off without another word.  
Lucas sighed once again, but there was no expression on his face. Years of practice had hardened him against his parents, but living on SeaQuest had softened him and Lucas knew it. Just the thought of a whole week with his mother and who knew what man made him numb inside and his stomach turn. " I'll be fine." Lucas tried to assure himself. " I know how to survive. I've done it all my life." Nevertheless, Lucas felt a little piece of himself die inside.  
  
***  
  
An hour-and-a-half later, Lucas was trudging to the mess. Although he felt naseous, and food was the last thing on his mind, he knew if he didn't show up he would be in serious trouble.  
Lucas entered and stepped in line behind his good friend and commrade Ben Krieg. Ben turned around and said, " Oh, hey, Lucas. Didn't see ya' back there. So, how goes the vortex?" Lucas frowned.   
" Don't even get me started on that piece of crap!"  
" Oookaaayy" Ben said slowy, backtracking. " Uh, so what else is new?"   
" Nothing " Lucas answered curtly.   
" Ooookaayy. Oh, hey, Tim." Ben acknowledged Lt. Tim O'Neill, standing behind Lucas.   
"Hey, guys" Tim replied, greeting Ben and Lucas. " Oh, Lucas, I haven't had a chance to thank you for working on the computer and communications sensory unit. The resolution is awesome!"  
" It was no problem, really." Lucas responded as the 3 searched for a table. Seeing Captain Bridger and Doctor Westphalen as they waved them over, the 3 set their trays at the table. Greetings were exchanged as the group began to eat.  
" Hey, that reminds me: Lucas, what did your mother want when she called earlier?"  
Gee, thanks, Tim. Lucas thought, sourly. "Uh, nothing, really," might as well get it over with, " well, she wants me to come and stay with her for a little while. When we dock in Australia, I'll be heading for New York." Lucas' words came out in a rush and the 4 officers listening all looked on with varing degrees of surprise.  
" That's only 5 days away!" Westphalen exclaimed.  
" Congratulations!" Krieg said. Lucas did a double-take. What?!  
" Wow! That will be fun, staying with your mom."  
" Yeah, a blast." Lucas said, forcing a smile.  
" How long will you be staying?" Bridger questioned " Where will we pick you up?"  
" Well, probably about a week. Maybe longer." Lucas replied, noncommitly. " I'll just catch a flight to wherever SeaQuest is docked."  
" Hmm. I suppose that would work out. We're just doing manoevers for the week and a half, anyway. "  
" You lucky dog! A week break! During manoevers, no less!" Krieg exclaimed, envious.  
Lucas coughed, struggling not to choke on his food. Imagine. Them congratulating him?!! If only they knew, Lucas thought ruefully.  
  
* * *  
  
  
Lucas sighed as he checked his watch for the umpteenth time. Shifting his position, he sight again, the anger having drained out him hours ago.   
Lucas had arrived at his mother's house at 12:00 in the afternoon, only to find no one home and house locked up tight. That was irony because he had told her preciously when he would arrive.  
It was now 5:00 pm.  
Lucas knew that if he left and his mom returned and he wasn't there, she would be furious. Besides, where would he go anyway? It being a work day, no neighbors were home, and even if they were it wouldn't have mattered.  
He had played on his laptop for an hour or so. He walked around the neighborhood for another hour. 3 hours just sitting there doing nothing. He had fallen asleep for about 30 minutes, but that was all.  
Fidgeting again, he suddenly became aware of the smell of a cigarette. The next door neighbor was busy pruning a rose bush as he smoked.  
Lucas enhaled deeply, enjoying the smell. He hadn't smoked in 10 months. He had, for obvious reasons, been forced to quite before coming aboard SeaQuest. Smoking had alway calmes his nerves, but on SeaQuest he had learned to channel all the excess energy in positive ways. Now just sitting there thinking of how badly his visit would go, Lucas wanted a cigarette so badly he could taste it.  
Making a decision, he got up and made his way over the man.  
"Evenin' " Lucas greeted.  
" Oh, hello" the man looked around, unsure of where Lucas had just come from.  
" Uh, do you, uh, possibly think that I could, uh....." Lucas motioned with his hands to cigarette dangling from the man's mouth.   
" Huh? Oh, yeah, of course." Flustered, he dug into his pockets, found the pack, and pulled 3 out. Handing them and his lighter to Lucas, the man suddenly frowned as Lucas lite up and closed his eyes in pleasure. " I only wanted one, but thank you very much. I really appreciate it."  
"No problem. Hey, are you old enough to be smoking, kid?"   
Lucas squinted at him " I'm older than I look. " With that he nodded his thanks again and made his way back to his mother's porch to begin his waiting once again. But this time he had a comfort.  
  
***  
  
  



	3. A New Friend

Author: MacKynzie  
Part: 3/6  
Rating PG-13  
Disclaimer: SeaQuest and all her crew aren't mine, I'm just borrowing them.  
  
  
  
  
A HIDDEN PAST - part 3  
  
  
Lucas blinked as the sunlight poured into his room. He looked around, unsure of where he was. Ah, yes. His mother's spare bedroom. Day 3 of Hell.  
  
His mother had come home around 6:00 pm with some guy that first night. She'd yelled for awhile and left him alone. Then came Monday.  
  
Unbeknownst to Lucas, apparently he had a stepfather. Bill was some houtie-toutie exec in a big company with so many names, it made Lucas' head spin. Bill had had a rough day at the office, and needless to say, was not pleased to come home and find that his wife had some smart-alek kid, he had known nothing about. He yelled at Lucas for stupid things, such as leaving a dish in the sink( "The sink is for looks not to be used!"), or putting his feet on the living room table. Stupid stuff. It didn't really bother Lucas. Bill was pretty mild, relatively, anyway.   
  
Cynthia, of course, was as bad as Lucas imagined. Screaming at him every chance she got. And that was quite often, unfortunately. She always needed to put him down. Was he so meaningless to her? Was his life worth nothing? His mother didn't seem to think so. He had lost count of how many times, in an unprovoked rage, Cynthia would scream, " I wish I had aborted you like I wanted to!!!" Lucas was determined not to let her get to him. He sat there stoicly, eyes cobalt blue, staring straight ahead. His mind somewhere else. Some place nice and warm and safe. SeaQuest? No. After awhile, the inevitable happened. There are only so many times a person can be told his life meaningless before he starts to believe it. No one could ever love him. His mother knew that . There was something about him. Oh, people loved Lucas the computer genius. The Lucas that had graduated from MIT at age 14. The Lucas that could make all their technical problems go away. But not the real Lucas. They hated the real Lucas. Lucas had fought all his life not to believe the things his mother and father had screamed at him, but now he knew the truth. They were right. They had been right all along. They had known it and now Lucas knew it too.   
  
It was inevitable, Lucas supposed. 10 months of recovery on SeaQuest destroyed by a week at his mother's home. Ironic, really.  
  
And Lucas knew that when he went back to SeaQuest, things would never be the same again.  
  
***  
  
  
Lucas stopped a moment and decided to go in. Enhaling the smell of greasy food, Lucas was reminded that he hadn't eaten all day. Lou's Diner. You couldn't get much more generic than that.   
  
He walked up to the counter and set himself on a stool. Pretty old-fashioned, but very charming, Lucas decided. He picked up a menu and ordered a hamburger and coffee from a fortyish year old waitress desperetly trying to look thirty. Some things will never change, Lucas thought as he lit up a cigarette. No one paid any attention to the teen, who obviously was a minor. But this was downtown New York. People didn't usually pay any attention to things that didn't concern them. Even then, most didn't really care.  
  
"Ahem," Lucas was startled by a femine voice to his left. Lucas turned, surprised. He hadn't even noticed the woman who had slid onto the stool next to his.   
  
"Could you hand me that menu, please?"  
  
"Uh, sure, there ya' go."  
  
" Thank you." she looked at Lucas' upturned palm as he handed the menu to her.  
" That's a very interesting scar you have there. How did you get it?" she questioned, curious.  
  
"Umm, I," Lucas studied his palm almost nostagically " burned it on a hot pan."  
  
" Ouch, that must have hurt." the woman sympathized.   
  
'More than you can know' Lucas thought, bitterly. " Yeah, a little." he said  
  
"I'm Gaia. Gaia Romanov." she said, sticking out her hand. Shaking her hand in return Lucas said, " I'm Lucas. Lucas Wolenczak. "  
  
" A pleasure to meet you, Lucas."   
  
" Likewise." And with that, they settled into easy conversation, talking about anything and everything that came to their mind.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Lucas looked at his watch and jumped off the stool he still occupied. " Ohmygod! It's 4:30! I'm never going to make it to the airport in time!"  
  
"Airport?" Gaia asked, puzzled.   
  
" Yeah, I have a flight to Miami at 5:00. I'll never make it in time!!"  
  
Thinking quickly, Gaia jumped off her stool and grabbed his wrist.   
"Let's go!" she exclaimed and dragged him out of the diner as Lucas threw some bills on the counter and grabbed his backpack off the floor.   
" What are we doing?" Lucas asked  
  
" Here's my car. Get in and I'll drive you. " she ordered  
  
" You don't have to do that and besides, it's too late. You'll never make it there on time!"  
  
" Trust me, Lucas, you've never seen me drive! "  
  
***  
  
  
Lucas sighed with relief as he read the flight board. Flight 247 en route to Miami had been delayed. They arrived at exactly 5:00 and Lucas' heart was just returning to normal speed. Gaia's driving rivaled the Andretti's!!   
  
" Did you make it?" Gaia questioned from behind Lucas. He jumped, turned around quickly, and scowled at her. She held her hands up in surrender. " What did I do?" his scowl deepened, but he replied,   
" Yeah, the flight was delayed, thankfully."  
  
" Where are you going, anyway?" she asked, as they sat down in a row of seats across from the terminal. Lucas looked at her. " To Miami."  
Gaia rolled her eyes at the typical teenage answer.   
  
" I'm going home. " Lucas replied in response to her look.   
  
" I thought you said your family lived here, in New York. "  
  
" They do. My grandparents live in Miami. If I were to miss the flight, I would be dead." Lucas quickly recovered. He hadn't told her anything really personal about himself. Hadn't told her that he was a computer genuis on the UEO's most powerful and forboding vessel. Hadn't told her that his IQ was higher than some of the smartest minds in the world. Hadn't told her that he had been abused all his life; still was. Hadn't told her how worthless he really was. Then again, maybe she already knew. Maybe she was taking pity on him. She didn't care at all. Nobody really did.  
  
Gaia looked at him. She had accepted his answer, and both were left to his or her own thoughts. There was something about him that was very familar. Something she had seen before, but couldn't quite identify. Something she could identify with..... Oh, they had talked for awhile, but she hadn't told him anything really personal about herself. Hadn't told him that at 15 her father had molested her. Hadn't told him that she had been hooked on crack over half of her life. Hadn't told him about the men that had used and abused her as a teen. Hadn't told about the long and hard uphill struggle to stay clean. That was before. She did tell about how she was now. She was 28. She was a doctor. A scientist. A respected figure. A force to be reckoned with. That's what she was and that was all that mattered.  
  
***  
  
  
*beep* " Flight 247 en route to Miami is now boarding."  
  
Lucas jumped at the voice and got up. He looked at Gaia who was also getting up. They had stayed silent the whole time. Lucas had told her to leave, but she had insisted, and he finally gave up.  
  
They looked at each other awkwardly for a moment before Gaia reached out and enveloped him in a bear hug. " I know that we just met, but I sure am going to miss you kiddo." she said, nearly in tears.  
  
Lucas nodded, he felt the same way. They harldy knew anything about each other, but Lucas felt as if they had been friends for years.  
  
They broke apart and Lucas turned around to leave. " Wait!" she exclaimed, before he had gotten 5 feet. " Here." she handed him a piece of paper with her name and a number scrawled messily on it. " You call me anytime you're in town or if you ever need anything. I mean it. You just give me a call for anything. You got it?"   
  
Lucas nodded, " Thanks for everything, Gaia. "   
And with that he turned around once more, and walked to the entryway to the plane.  
  
Gaia smiled. " Anytime, kiddo, anytime."  
  
  
***  
  
  
Gaia Romanov was irritated. She had just walked into her condo after getting back from the airport only to find her kitchen a mess. 'Where is that damn cat?!' she questioned herself. There were papers everywhere! Important papers that she needed. Papers that allowed her to board the ship that she would soon call home.  
  
Gaia couldn't wait. In three days she would be in a position that most civilian scientists could only dream about. She would be one the handful of civilian scientists that were chosen. It was sort of an exchange program. For 6 months! She was so excited! For 6 months, Dr. Gaia Romanov, scientist extrodinaire, would be a scientist on the UEO's pride and joy. The SeaQuest.  
  
***  
  
  
  
  



	4. The Encounter

  
  
  
  
Author: MacKynzie  
Rating : PG-13  
Part: 4/6  
Disclaimer: SeaQuest and all her crew aren't mine, I'm just borrowing them.  
  
  
  
  
  
A Hidden Past - part 4  
  
  
  
" Kid. Hey, kid, wake up, we're here. Hey, come on kid, get up will ya'? I've got places to go!"  
  
Lucas frowned as he was roused from an unpleasant sleep. " Yeah, yeah. I'm up, I'm up. How much?" Lucas asked the disgruntled taxi driver.  
  
"$23.50" the cabbie stated. Lucas handed over $25 as he grabbed the duffel bag that was pretty much carrying his life. Getting out, he heard the cabbie mutter," Gee thanks. Cheapskate." As the cab roared away, Lucas rolled his eyes in digust. He had been tempted to grab back the five and give the rude cabbie the exact amount. Maybe next time.   
  
Lucas turned around and gazed at the mammoth ship that he called home. Before, it had been comforting and homey. Now, it was uninviting and foreboding. Lucas shuddered at his dark thoughts but he couldn't shake the depression that had settled in. He used to love the SQ. The computers and his friends. But now, he didn't feel anything. Nothing at all. It wasn't only the SeaQuest, either. Lucas Wolenczak felt nothing for anyone or anything. It was if someone had come in and ripped out his heart and replaced it with a big, black nothing. NOTHING. The word resounded in his head and echoed around. Nothing. 'That's all I am, anyway. I need a cigarette.'   
  
Lucas looked around briefly, searching for a place to smoke. All he needed now was some righteous do-gooder to see him smoking and feel the need to report his sins to the Captain. 'Wouldn't that be perfect?' Lucas asked himself as he slipped behind a large skid containing various supplies for the behemouth of a ship. As he did so, Lucas missed the arrival of another taxi. But this taxi was unlike any other. This taxi carried what would become his worst nightmare.  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
Gaia Romanov stepped from the taxi and stared in abject awe. She was beautiful. She was magificant. The SeaQuest was gorgeous. Gaia grabbed her bags from the trunk and paid the cabbie. The cab roared away and Gaia just stood there, taking in the mammoth beauty. In Russia, her father had been an avide seamen. When Gaia was born, he moved to America with his wife , and taught Gaia everything there was to know about the sea. Well, her father had been wonderful, and then he wasn't so wonderful anymore. He was different now, he was different when she was a teenager. He had changed and so had she, it was probably him who had helped to destroy her life.   
  
'Enough of that,' Gaia thought, shaking herself out of those thoughts. "Uuunngg!!" Gaia grunted in exertion. 'Man! That bag is heavy! What did I pack in it?!' she asked herself. Since it was obvious she wouldn't be able to carry them all, Gaia grabbed the smallest one and made her way over to the docking bay. Seeing a man wearing a SQ uniform, she walked up to him and said, " Um, excuse me?" The tall man turned around and Gaia saw that his name was Krieg. "Yeah?" the man peered over his clipboard at her and it was obvious he didn't like being disturbed.  
  
"Uh, I need some help with my bags, if it's not too much trouble."  
  
"Oh? Is that right?" he asked snidely. Gaia swallowed and nodded. 'Get a grip on yourself, Romanov! You're not some teenager, you're a respected scientist!' With that, she nodded again, but with more resolve.  
  
"And you are?"  
  
"Romanov. Dr. Romanov." Krieg looked down at his clipboard. Checking a sheaf of papers that were firmly attached there, he lifted one up and looked at her. Looking from the paper to her, Krieg frowned. He repeated the motion once more.  
  
Obviously satisfied with whatever was there, he said, "I'm sorry, Dr., but we're on a tight schedule right now. If you could sign this please." It was not a request, but an order.   
  
Taking the board she looked at the paper he indicated and took the proffered pen. "What is this for?" Gaia asked, even as she was in the middle of signing it.  
  
"It's just for security reasons. Shows us that you arrived and signed the release form." he responded, his gaze focused on a point behind her. "Ahhh! Johnson! Not like that!" he took a step away from her, infuriated with the poor soul name Johnson.  
  
Gaia put her hand on his arm quickly. "Mr. Krieg? What about my bags?" He waved a disinterested hand in the direction of her bags. "Uh, I'll have someone get to them." Krieg responded and walked briskly away, muttering things under his breath about worker imcompetence.  
  
Gaia frowned. Apparently she was on her own right now. 'Oh, well,' she thought, 'time to find someone who cares about guests.' Gaia looked around her at the hustle and bustle. Personal were milling around, and it was obvious everyone was very busy with something. Gaia sighed, it didn't look anyone would care right now.  
  
  
****  
  
  
Knock! Knock! Gaia rapped loudly on the steel door marked Captain Nathan Bridger. She swallowed the lump in her throat as a voice called out, "Yeah, come in!"  
  
Gaia pushed the door open and walked in, her head held high. She waited until the brown head looked up from the papers to say anything. "Yes?" Nathan asked, not having looked up.  
  
She cleared her throat. "Captain Bridger?" Brider's head snapped up at the unfamilar voice. "Oh, hello. Can I help you?"  
  
"I'm Dr. Gaia Romanov. I'm part of the 'exchange program.' I was told I should report to you first."  
  
Bridger's face was blank. He had no idea what she was talking about. Gaia could tell he was clueless, but she didn't want to say anything, lest she offend him.  
  
"Exchange Program?" Bridger asked. A knock sounded at the door, interrupting whatever reply Gaia had been about to form. "Yeah, come in."  
  
"Nathan?" An auburn head poked in. The women stepped in. "Oh, I didn't know that you had company. I'll come back later." The women's voice was distinctly British, and Gaia had a little trouble understanding her. Bridger apparently had none, however, and he quickly said, " No, wait Kristen." The women stopped her retreat and turned back around to face him. "Yes?"   
  
"Uh, Kristen, this is Dr...."   
  
"Romanov." Gaia quickly supplied.  
  
"Dr. Romanov. She said she's part of some 'exchange program.'"  
  
Kristen looked at her. "Yes, of course." She smiled warmly at the obviously uncomfortable Gaia. "I'm Kristen Westphalen." she addressed Nathan. "You remember, don't you Nathan? Some scientists, in cooperation with the UEO, are exchanging positions. I believe Dr. Romanov, here, is switching with, uh, Dr. MacDuibhil, right?"   
  
  
Gaia shrugged, she had no idea who she was switching with. "How long is this for?" Nathan questioned. "6 months, Captain." Gaia responded.  
  
"I assume that you have papers of some sort."  
  
"Oh, yes of course." Gaia quickly opened her handbag. She reached into it and pulled out a sheaf of papers. Gaia handed them to Nathan, slightly nervous but not knowing why.  
  
Nathan looked them over and glance up. He smiled at her, "Well, I think everything here is in order, Dr. Romanov. Now, Kristen, why don't you show the Doctor around SeaQuest. I'm sure that she would love a tour of her home for the next 6 months."  
  
Gaia nodded affirmitavely, "I wouldn't want to impose on anyone, though. There will be plenty of time for that if you're busy right now."  
  
"Nonsense" Kristen clucked. "It would be my pleasure."  
  
"Very good. It's settled then. I'll have Commander Ford issue you a PAL soon. Now, if that's all ladies, I really have a lot of work to do."  
  
Kristen smiled at Gaia, "Shall we, Doctor?" Gaia smiled, she had a feeling they would become very good friends.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Gaia plopped into her bunk, exhausted. It had been a very long day. Fun, but very long. After they had left the Captain's office, Kristen had proceeded to give her the grand tour. The very long and detailed grand tour. But Gaia didn't mind, Kristen had showed her essential things that she would definitly need to know. The two had talked and laughed for several hours as they roamed the huge ship. They had breaked for dinner and Kristen had introduced her to all of the senior officers. Gaia tried to recall their names. Hmm. There was Krieg, who she had already met. He had tried to apologize, but she had dismissed it, Gaia knew how she could be when she was trying to get things done. Who else? Oh, yeah, O'Neil and Ford and.....oh, who cares?! Gaia thought. It was her first day, she didn't need to know everyone's name! And with that Gaia effectively shut her mind down. It had been a long day.  
  
  
***  
  
  
"Gaia?" a soft voice questioned. Gaia turned and saw Kristen Westphalen leaning on the door jamb. "How long are you going to sit at that microscope?"   
  
"Well, as long as it takes I suppose." she replied  
  
"How about dinner?"  
  
"Maybe tomorrow Kristen? I really want to get a lot of this done."  
  
"Sorry hon, but that wasn't a request. As doctor of this fine ship, I hereby order you to accompony me to dinner."  
  
Gaia sighed as she contemplated the stubborn woman before her. She knew that it was a losing battle. Gaia sighed again but she flicked off the scope and got off the stool.   
  
Kristen smiled, "Now I knew that you would see it my way."  
  
  
***  
  
Lucas frowned as he stared at the computer screen. He sat back and rubbed his very tired eyes. His stomach growled an instant later.   
'Yep,' he thought 'it's time for some chow.'  
  
  
***  
  
  
Gaia looked down at her tray in disbelief. "Is this really food?"  
  
"Uh, well, unfortunetly yes." Ben Krieg responded in equal disgust.  
  
Ben looked up and greeted Tim O'Neil as he sat down, also looking resignedly at his palate.  
  
"Hey, man, what's up in your corner of the world?" Krieg asked.  
  
"Not a whole heck of a lot. You?"  
  
"Oh, you know, same old same old; yachting in the islands, spending money like it grows on trees, dating beautiful women, laying on the beach with a blonde bombshell on my right arm and an awesome tropical fruity drink thingy on my left. You know, the usual." Krieg responded  
  
"Yeah, right, whatever. Hey, doc," Tim turned to Kristen," have you seen Lucas around lately? He promised that he'd help out with that virus protection program, but I haven't been able to find him anywhere."  
  
"No, Tim, he hasn't been in the lab all day. Did you check his quarters?"   
  
"Yeah, but then again I only looked once or twice. He's always in and out of there." Tim said  
  
Gaia, who had been following the conversation, said," Who's Lucas?"  
  
Kristen looked over at her in surprise. "You've not met Lucas?"  
  
"No, I haven't. Why? Is he someone special?"  
  
"Oh, yes, he's very special. He's only probably the smartest one on this entire vessel." Kristen replied.  
  
"Really? He may be smart, but why is he so special? What exactly does he do?"  
  
"Well, he's practically a computer genuis and he's always doing work and experiments in the lab. Are you sure that you have not met him? He's in there all the time."  
  
"No, I'm quite sure I've never met him, but you still haven't explained what's so great about him." Gaia said, very intrigued.  
  
"Would it help if we mentioned the fact that he's only 16?" Krieg asked, finally getting to the heart of the matter.  
  
Gaia did a doubletake. "16? On a ship like this? You're kidding me!"  
  
"Not at all, Doctor. Lucas is very much a teenager." Kristen said, a little peeved at Ben for stealing her fire.  
  
"Speaking of boy wonder, here he comes now." Tim pointed out, waving Lucas over to their table.  
  
Gaia, facing the wall, had her back turned to anyone approaching. Just as she was about to turn around she heard a very familar voice. Very familar.   
  
"Hey, guys, what's happening?" Lucas asked as he took a seat next to Ben Krieg.   
  
"Lucas, I'd like you to meet someone." Kristen said, pleased that he had showed up.  
  
Only then did Lucas notice the woman sitting next to Kristen. A very familar woman. One he had met. And one that was staring at him in shock.  
  
Lucas' eyes widened in shocked bewilderment. What was she doing here, anyhow? Then his eyes narrowed and in them was something that could only be described as cold fury.  
  
Kristen, oblivious that anything was wrong, continued in her introduction. "Lucas Wolenczak, I'd like for you to meet Doctor Gaia Romanov."  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. Questions

MacKynzie  
5/6  
A Hidden Past Part 5  
Questions  
  
  
Lucas Wolenczak exhaled in furious irritation as he gazed at the computer screen. Punching his fist on the desk did nothing to alliviate the tension. It was the next day. The day after that disatrous meeting in the mess. Lucas had thought that he would die right there and then. "Oh, my God! Lucas?!" Gaia had exclaimed. Lucas' blood pressure had shot up to about lethal levels with just that simple cry. She had been so excited about seeing someone that she knew, that Gaia had altogether missed the lightning bolts that were practically shooting out of Lucas' eyes. "Lucas, I can't believe this. Why didn't you ever tell me that you worked on SeaQuest."   
  
Lucas had never gotten oppertunity to answer, however, for the crew jumped in. "You two know each other?" Krieg had asked, interested. "Yeah, we met in New York." Gaia had replied, making the situation ten times worse. Only she hadn't seen it that way and neither had any other of his friends. They never saw anything the way he saw it. They always saw the best in everything. Only Lucas thought it was tradgedy.   
  
Yeah, well, his whole day had sucked big time after that, and Lucas had the feeling that whole week would suck. Actually, the next 6 months would no doubt suck. Gaia wouldn't leave for another 6 months and it wasn't that he didn't like her, or that he didn't enjoy seeing her again, it was just that he never wanted to see her on the SeaQuest. Never wanted her to talk to any of his crewmates about him. She had, after all, seen him smoking. What if she asked Bridger or anyone else about that? It was a moot point, anyway. The big thing was the scar that adorned his hand. When questioned by his crewmates, Lucas always said that it was a sports injury. Sports!? The SeaQuest crew were all either blind or stupid, or maybe both. Seriously, Lucas looked like he played sports about as often as the Detroit Lions won 2 games in a row.   
  
There had also been a couple of bruises on his neck that were faint and barely visible now, but a few a days ago were quite noticeable. What if she thought about it and put two and two together. After all, it wasn't that hard to figure out. Oh, Lucas was a master at hiding his feelings and would never give anything away, but he wouldn't have to.   
  
4 things: he'd been ordered by his mother to leave SeaQuest. It would only take a simple question to Bridger why he had been told to go home and that he'd gone to good old mommy's. A little research would show that Cynthia had a new husband and Gaia would remember the bruises, she was very observant, that much had been obvious to Lucas; and it was a must in the science field. Lastly, everyone knew the elder Wolenczaks hated their son, they'd dumped on a freaking submarine for God's sake!  
  
There was no use rehashing it, Lucas knew that much, but he couldn't stop thinking about it. After the mess hall scene, Gaia had insisted they catch up. Catch with what, Lucas hadn't been sure; they's seen each other less than a week ago! So they'd gone to the Sciece Lab and the moonpool. Gaia had been estactic about Darwin and the vocorder, barely noticing Lucas' frosty looks and attitude. He soon snapped out of it, however, knowing that he had to be normal. So he'd slapped a big smile on his face and made small talk until he thought he was going to puke from all the smiling. Mercifully, Kristen had called Gaia away on some 'urgent' thing that she needed done. He knew how Kristen was and could only pray that she wouldn't talk to Gaia about him and that Gaia wouln't ask any questions. But, then again, Lucas hadn't seen any pigs flying, or swimming, rather, out the portholes, so he knew the chances of that happening were zero. Lucas could only hope to avoid Gaia and somehow not be obvious about it.  
  
Lucas cringed at the thought of Gaia finding out of the abuise and confronting him and then running off to tell Bridger. Bridger probably wouldn't care anyway. He, the rest of them, only saw what they wanted to see. They'd no doubt laugh and yell at him for making a big deal out of nothing. "Nothing." No matter how hard he tried, Lucas couldn't stop thinking about that word. So small, so insignificant, so...empty, so........Nothing. That pretty much summed up his life. Hell, that summed up everything about him. Everything he wasn't and could never be. Bridger said differently, but he knew the truth, they all did. His mother and father sure as hell did, they never had any doubt.   
  
Lucas jumped out of his seat and yanked the long, narrow, foot locker out from underneath his bed and pulled a pack of cigarettes out of it. 'Definitly time for a smoke,' he thought to himself.  
  
He stuffed a lighter in his pocket and put the pack in a little tool box that he needed to look real. As he walked down the corridor to the MagLev, Lucas smiled to himself at his computer genuis. He got off on one of the lowest level and made his way to an old closet-like room that no one ever went down to. It held emergency food rations and the like. Hacking into SeaQuest's main frame, Lucas had managed to disable the smoke detectors and fire alarms and hide the fact that he had done so. If anyone checked, the computer would tell them that all was functioning normally and completely pass over the disabled one. Even on the off chance that someone discovered the hacking, Lucas had made it untraceable to himself. It would look like a simple computer glitch. Maybe a left over result of the virus Lila, the computer virus that had caused so many problems a while back.  
  
Lucas smiled to himself as he produced the key that he managed to swipe from Ben and then replace once he had made a copy. He opened the door to the closet-room, relocked it behind him, and lit a smoke. He even carried a small tool box down with him in case anyone wondered why he was down there so often. He smiled again in pleasure. There was just something pleasing about all the toxic poisons and chemicals circulating inside his lungs. Or maybe he was happy with the knowledge that he was slowy killing himself. That in 50 years he'd be dead. 'That's way too long' he thought, now frowning. He lit another one and chose not to think about it right then. He had other concerns.   
  
How could he ensure that Gaia would never say anything if she found out? Assuming she did, of course. He could kill her. Well, somehow Lucas thought that someone would probably notice. Or.....maybe something else. Maybe Gaia had a secret of her own. Maybe something in her past. Something that would humiliate her and that she would never tell a soul. 'Hmmm, this definitly has possibilities.' Lucas muttered to himself. He quickly squashed out the cigarette and carefully checked to make sure that he had all the butts. Throwing them in the tool box, Lucas grinned to himself. He shut and locked the closet-room behind him. He almost laughed as he made his way to the MagLev. "Well, Miss Romanov, let's go see what you're hiding."  
  
* **  
  
  
3:00 a.m. and a certain doctor was still awake. That doctor happened to be one Gaia Romanov. She turned over yet again and looked at the clock. She had been tossing and turning for about 5 hours now. It wasn't that she wasn't tired, it was what she was thinking about, or rather, whom she was thinking about. One Lucas Wolenczak to be specific. Lucas Wolenczak. The name and the face just kept ricocheteing throught her brain. She couldn't stop thinking about the first time they had met, in that little diner. She couldn't stop thinking about the picture of him sitting in the stool smoking and drinking coffee. She couldn't stop thinking about these things, but the one thing that just stuck was when she had the odd scar on his hand and the black and blue bruise that she had seen on his neck. That was what really stuck.   
  
Gaia turned over again. She knew that she had to do something. There was no mistaking the darts Lucas had been shooting out of his eyes, darts that were aimed right at her. He obviously didn't want her to say anything about the smoking. But what if there was something else that he was hoping she'd forget?   
  
Then, something struck her. Something that she hadn't thought about in awhile. She remembered thinking about her past. Something about Lucas had reminded her of herself many years ago.   
  
  
  
(From A Hidden Past part 3)  
  
Gaia looked at him. She accepted his answer, and both were left with his or her own thoughts. There was something about him that was very familar. Something she had seen before. Something she could identify with. Something she reconized. Something that she had seen in the mirror every day of her life.   
Something she....... hated.  
  
  
  
  
Gaia frowned, she had to talk to Bridger.  
  
***  
  
  
Tim O'Neil frowned as he studied his console. There! Something.......or maybe nothing? There had been an odd beep and when Tim studied his readings there was nothing. He looked at the computer and frowned again. Typing, he called up the sensor readings from only a moment or two ago. The furrow in his brow deepened further as he gazed at the readings. There had been a slight burst of...something. But of what, he didn't know.  
  
Tim checked the current readings and found nothing. 'Hmm,' he thought,'must be my imagination.'  
  
***  
  
Lucas' eyes gleamed as he studied the glowing screen intently. He had been up all night working on other computer problems and he had just started his search only 20 minutes ago. Lucas grinned devishly, he had her!  
  
***  
  
  
Gaia's heart raced as she knocked on the door that read Captain Nathan Bridger.  
  
A deep voice called, "Enter."  
  
Gaia slowly turned the handle, as if to delay the inevitable as long as possible. "Captain, do you have a minute?"  
  
Bridger looked up,"Certainly, Doctor, what can I do for you?"  
  
"Well, I'm kind or curious about something, if you're not busy of course." she continued at his nod,"Umm, could you tell me where Lucas went on his shoreleave?"  
  
Bridger looked at her curiously, and suspiciously. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"Umm, just curious. Everyone else was talking so excitedly about their breaks, and when I asked Lucas, he was all hush-hush about it, you know? Is it like a big secret, or something?" Gaia smiled impishly, as if to diffuse the question.  
  
"Lucas went to his mother's for the break. I can't imagine why that would be a secret."  
  
"How long has Lucas been on SeaQuest, exactly?"  
  
"Well, about 10 months. Why do you ask?" Bridger looked suspiciously at her, and Gaia knew not to push her luck with another question.  
  
"Captain, if you must know, I'm really interested in Lucas. How often do I meet a teenager who's got a higher I.Q. then half of the U.E.O. put together?"  
  
"Yes, I guess you're curiousity is understandable, but I suggest that you ask Lucas if you have anymore questions, Dr."  
  
"Thank you, Captain. I understand. I appreciate your time." Gaia smiled at him and backed out the door.   
  
'Whew! That was close,' thought Gaia. She turned around to look at the door. Even the door was imposing. She spun around, only to bump into the one person she most wanted to talk to and avoid at the same time. Confronting him would mean confronting herself again. Remembering things that were best left forgotten. 'Might as well get it over with,' Gaia thought. She had to talk to him, however, no matter her own emotional baggage. She had to see if her suspicions were correct. It was curious, however, the way he was looking at her, grinning like a cat who had just eaten a canary. 'Uh oh, this can't be good.'  
  
***  
  



	6. Confrontation

MacKynzie   
6/6  
A Hidden Past Part 6 (finally)  
  
Confrontation   
  
Note: denotes flashback  
  
  
  
  
"Oh, hey, Lucas. Fancy meeting you here." Gaia stammered out nervously. "Lucas, there's something I need to talk to you about."  
  
Lucas' eyes narrowed. "Oh?"   
  
"Do you mind if we go somewhere a little more private?"  
  
Lucas smiled, she hadn't disappointed him. "Sure, how about your quarters?"  
  
"Okay."  
  
The ride to her quarters was long and awkward. Well, not really long, but it seemed like forever.   
  
They got off the MegLev and then walked to Gaia's quarters. She opened the door and went in, Lucas following her.  
  
"So....." Lucas said, questioning.  
  
"Well, Lucas, this is really hard to say, and I may be way off base here, but.....Ah, hey, let's have a seat."  
  
Lucas nodded and they both sat down. He almost smiled at her nervousness. Almost. He was nervous too, but Lucas would never show that to her, not to anyone.  
  
"Lucas......remember when we met, at that diner?" she paused as he nodded,"Well, there was something I noticed about you, when we were sitting there --"  
  
Lucas cut in, "Is this about the smoking thing? If it is, rest assured, I quit. No need to get all freaked out about it." Lucas faked an earnest look, just toying with her.  
  
"No, no, I'm glad you quit, but this isn't about that." she said, surprised that he would be the one to bring that up."When we were sitting there," she continued, disconcerted by the clear blue eyes that just gazed back at her, "I noticed your hand." Gaia stopped, not exactly an earth-shattering statement. "There was a scar on it, it was pretty...obvious."  
  
"Yeah," Lucas held up his hand for inspection,"I cut in on a steel mesh fence. I was trying to jump it. I also got a bruise on my neck. Don't ask me how I got a bruise way up there." Lucas faked a chuckle. He really didn't want to have to threaten her with what he knew, so Lucas figured he might as well try to deter her and explain the injuries away.  
  
Gaia frowned, doubting herself for what wouldn't be the first time. Jumping a fence, that sounded plausible enough. Lots of kids jumped and hopped over fences. She took a deep breath, it could be a ploy, though. Gaia herself had told many similar tales that sounding completely probable to any adult that had bothered to ask about her bruises and scrapes.  
  
No, she had to go on, even if it was only a hunch. And then, all of a sudden, she remembered what he had told her when they first met...  
  
"That's a very interesting scar you have there. How did you get it?" she questioned, curious.  
  
"I, uh, burned it on a hot pan."   
  
"Lucas, I don't believe that." Gaia paused, watching him carefully; he didn't even blink.  
  
"Oh?" Lucas asked curiously.  
  
"Lucas, does your father hurt you?" The words came out in a rush, Gaia almost jumped out of seat, surprised that she had just come out with it.  
  
"What?! What the hell are you talking about?! Why the hell would you even say anything like that? I can't believe that you asked me that!" Lucas did jump out of seat as he practically shouted at her.  
  
Gaia just sat there, in a daze. Lucas bored holes into her, but she didn't seem to notice. He nearly smiled, musta convinced her. But no, that wasn't it at all. Gaia was remembering something that she had all but forgotten. It was her English teacher, a young man then, who had asked her something very painful.  
  
"Gaia, there's something I need to talk to you about." He stopped as they sat down,"I noticed a bruise on your neck the other day," he paused to breath,"it looked like a hand print."  
  
She just looked at him, Gaia knew what was coming.  
  
"Gaia, does your father hurt you?" The words came out in a rush and he looked sick as he sat there, waiting for her response. Gaia paused a second before she jumped out of her seat.  
  
"What?! What in the hell are you talking about?! Why in the hell would you say something like that? I can't believe you just asked me that! Of course my father doesn't hurt me! That wasn't a hand print!"  
  
He too jumped out of seat, looking like he was about to throw up. "Oh, Gaia, I'm so sorry, I just assumed..." He quickly backpedaled, convinced by her vehement response that he was way off base.  
  
"Well, you assumed wrong!" Gaia stormed out.   
  
  
She was transfered out of his class the very next day. But he hadn't been off base, he had been absolutely correct. But the man had given up, intimidated by a 16-year-old.  
  
Gaia looked at Lucas with resolve, she wasn't about to give up, his response had pretty much proved her right. Just the opposite of what he had been going for.  
  
"Lucas, I know you're lying." She looked at him steadily, she was no longer nervous.  
  
Lucas nearly did a double-take. "What?"  
  
"Lucas, you're lying." Gaia repeated with conviction. Lucas frowned, apparently there would be no convincing her now.  
  
"Alright then, how did I get that bruise then, huh?"  
  
"Those bruises, Lucas, those bruises. You had others, I couldn't see them, but you winced whenever you moved. Your father has been beating you hasn't he? Hasn't he, Lucas?"  
  
Gaia didn't know what she had expected him to do, but Lucas was practically smiling now, and she definitly had been expecting that.  
  
"Well, it's none of you business, Gaia. But I figured you would do something stupid like this." Lucas suddenly produced a folder seemingly from thin air. Gaia hadn't even noticed him carrying it up here.  
  
Lucas took a step and handed it to her. Gaia took it and dreadingly opened it. It couldn't be good. Gaia's eyes widened as big as saucers as she looked at the horrifying contents.  
  
It was her. Her picture. Her mug shot. Her first arrest for possesing coke. Her second arrest for burglery. Her juvey file. Notes from phyciatrists. Notes from judges. And there, the last page, was a single sheet with a single line that read Gaia Tartanovich.   
  
Gaia just stared at it in muted horror, she couldn't even look at it, it was too painful.  
  
"H-ho-how, how did you get this?" She looked up at him. Gaia felt like she was about to throw up.  
  
"It wasn't so hard, *Ms. Tartanovich*. It only took me about 20 minutes. You really should have gotten a better paper-maker, this guy practically left his signature."  
  
Gaia just stared at him, questioning.  
  
"I noticed at the bottom of your file there was a small notation and I realized that there was another file attached. Your real one. Sometimes, I help out with screening people for important positions; I've seen that mark before. But there's one thing that I don't understand; you didn't start college intil you were 20, how did you get your masters in only 8 years?" Lucas asked.  
  
"I, uh, I was in a foster home for about a year. The woman there was a marind biologist. She, uh, couldn't have any kids. She taught me and when I left, I still remembered it. I took a few basic courses and I did well, got my act together."  
  
Lucas just looked at her, unbelieving. "Yeah, right, what'd ya do, sleep with the dean?"  
  
Gaia replied, "No, of course not." But Lucas knew that he was right.  
  
Lucas' face was frozen. "You tell Bridger, Westphalen, anyone about this and I'll personally make sure that your life is ruined! You got that?!"  
  
Gaia looked at him shock. She didn't know why she was so surprised, though, she should have seen this coming as soon as she saw the file.  
  
"But, Lucas, you can't go on like this. Your father is going to kill ou if you don't tell someone. Please, Lucas, don't do this."  
  
"Yeah, you're probably right, he probably will kill me. I derserve it anyway, it's not his fault I'm a failure."  
  
Gaia's heart broke as she heard this. "Lucas, please, know one deserves to be beaten. You are not a failure. Lucas, I'm begging you, please let me, or anyone help you. Bridger and Westphalen love you to death, all your crewmates and friends are there for you, plea-"  
  
Lucas interrupted,"Look, this isn't up for discussion. You tell someone about me, I tell the whole world about you." Lucas growled in a low voice, and with that, he turned on his heel and stalked out.  
  
Gaia collasped on her bed, softly crying. How could she ruin her career? How could she let Lawrence Wolenczak ruin Lucas' life?  
  
***  
  
Lucas was scowling as he stalked down the corridor. At first, he had been confident that he wouldn't need to use the file. But now he had been forced to, and that troubled him. He really liked Gaia, they had clicked from the start, but then she had to go nose in his business. The again, Lucas probably should have known that he wouldn't be able to fool her. She had been abuised before, ho no doubt told the same lies. What if she did tell Bridger or Westphalen, what then? Would he really be able to ruin her life? Well, she would be ruining his, after all.  
His mother and father would probably kill him if someone found out. They would be disgraced. They wouldn't care about him, or what happened to him, all they would care about would be their careers. And for that reason, Lawrence and Cynthia would destroy their son.  
  
***  
  
Gaia was still cying as she lay in bed. 5 hours had passed since their confrontation with Lucas, and she had been crying for 5 hours. Gaia rolled over and looked at the clock. 0005. 12:05. Midnight. Bridger would probably be up; he looked like the kind of man who never slept. "What do I do?" Gaia moaned to herself, "Do I ruin my life or his?"  
  
Gaia slowly sat up and got off her bunk. She put one foot in front of the other and finally managed to make it to the bathroom. Gaia stared at herself in the mirror, she pondered the face that she had wore for so many years. The face that had been and seen so many things. Gaia looked hard at herself, and her gaze turned inward. Seh reflected on her life. The things she had done. The lives she had ruined. And in that moment Gaia made her decision. Her fahter may have ruined her childhood and teenage years, but she wouldn't let Lawrence Wolenczak do that to Lucas. She would help Lucas to reclaim his life and just be himself. Gaia Romanov/Tartanovich would help Lucas even if she destroyed her own life in the process.  
  
***  
  
Nathan Bridger frowned as he sturied the daily report. All was fine, but that was just it. No excitement, he was about to die of boredom.  
Bridger's head popped up as he heard a timid knock on the door. "Yes?"  
  
Gaia slowly opened the door and swallowed the lump in her throat.  
  
"Captain Bridger, do mind if I have a word with you?"  
  
"No, of course not, Dr. Romanov. What's on your mind?"  
  
"Well, uh, it's about Lucas. Captain, how well do you know Lucas' parents?...."  
  
***  
  
Nathan and Gaia walked grimly down the corridor. They were almost to Lucas' quarters. Both wiped tears from their eyes as Nathan knocked on the door. It was 0130, but neither thought the teen would be asleep.  
  
When there was no reply to the hail, Bridger walked in with Gaia close behind. Lucas was there, at his computer with his headphones on.  
  
"Lucas?" Bridger said; he was ready to puke.  
  
There was no response. Bridger reached forward and carefully tapped lzucas on the shoulder. Lucas whirled around and jumped out of his seat, the headphones flying off his head.  
  
"Ahh, what?! What the heck are you two doing here?"  
  
But Lucas knew why they were there, he could see it on their faces.  
  
"Lucas, I, uh, we, need to talk to you." Bridger said carefully. He didn't even know where to begin.  
  
"Oh, what about?"  
  
"Lucas, uh, I don't know how to say this. Gaia has told me something very disturbing." Lucas didn't say anything, he wasn't about to make this easy.   
  
Bridger decided just to come out and say it."Lucas, does your father hurt you?"  
  
Lucas didn't reply, there was no use trying to deny it, they both knew it was true. Anything he said would just dig him in deeper.  
  
"Lucas, does your father hurt you?" Bridger repeated. Lucas still didn't respond, and in that moment, Nathan knew that it was absolutely true. Oh, how could he, how could all of them been so blind??  
  
"What, what are you going to do about it, Captain? There's nothing you can do."  
  
Bridger just looked at him in shock. "Of course there's something we can do. We'll get you out of there and away from that monster. That man will never be able to hurt you again, Lucas, I promise." Bridger said vehemently.  
  
Lucas' face was expressionless. "Don't make promises you can't keep, Captain." Lucas muttered bitterly.  
  
Bridger reached hand forward to comfort Lucas, but he ripped his hand away. "Don't touch me, " he growled, "don't ever touch me. You think I want your help?! Well, I don't! Just leave me alone!"  
  
Bridger jumped of the bed where he was seated, and exclaimed, "Lucas, I refuse to leave you alone! I won't let that man hurt you. Do you understand me?!!"  
  
"You don't know anything! Nobody asked you to 'help.' There's nothing you can do. He'd kill me before he let anyone find out!" Lucas screamed back.  
  
All three were on their feet now and facing each other in confrontation. This was exactly what Nathan had dreaded.  
  
"Lucas, please, I will never let him touch you or go near you. You have to let me, let us, help you." Bridger said in a calm voice, pleading with him.  
  
"There's nothing you can do." Lucas repeated, his voice soft now. "There's nothing you can do. There's nothing you can do." Lucas kept repeating the mantra, his voice whispered, his head down. For one of the first times in his life, Lucas Wolenczak was crying.  
  
Bridger went to him immediatly and enveloped him in a hug. They went over to the bed and sat down. Bridger was crying now too, and so was Gaia.  
  
"Lucas, I won't let him touch you. I won't let him touch you. I won't let him touch you." Bridger repeated his own mantra.  
  
"Captain.....I'm so scared......" Lucas was sobbing now.  
  
"Lucas, oh, Lucas, I know you're scared, but it's going to be okay now. It's going to be okay."  
  
Gaia slowly stepped out of the room. She was no longer needed. It would be okay now, Lucas had admitted that he was the victim and he didn't deserve to be beaten. That was something Gaia had never really done. Oh, sure, she had done enough to ruin her life, but she hadn't been without her father's help. Maybe it was time to forgive herself. To really move on with her life. To close that part of her forever. Maybe it was time. Maybe it was time.  
  
  
***  
  
And that's it folks, the very last chapter of A Hidden Past. Thanks so much for sticking with it. I'm sorry it took me so long to get this out. Please review and e-mail me at:  
  
mackynziegallacher@hotmail.com  
  
Thanks again!  
  
Sincerely,  
MacKynzie Gallacher  
  



	7. Epilogue

Epilogue  
  
  
  
It's been a year. A whole year. I can't believe what had happened in just one year. So many things, good and bad. Hmmm, where to start? Uhh, how about at the beginning? Ahhhh, a cliche, say it isn't so! Well, I've already told you what happened at the beginning, so how about I tell you what happened after I left the room? Since you really have no say in this, it doesn't matter what you think. Okay, yes I am rambling, what of it?! Wow, I sound kind of hostile don't I? Well, I really don't mean to, I swear. Uhh, where was I? Oh, yeah, after I left the room.........  
  
  
(A year previous)  
  
  
"Here, Lucas," Nathan handed Lucas a Kleenex. He sniffled and wiped his eyes.   
  
"I'm sorry for getting your shirt wet." Lucas looked up at Bridger, his eyes bloodshot.  
  
"I'm sure there was no permant damage." Bridger softly kidded. "Lucas, you know you're going to have to tell other people. You can't do this to yourself, you have to let others in." Bridger almost groaned, how stupid that must have sounded, he couldn't change what Lucas had done for all his life in one day, no one hour.   
  
Lucas was suddenly frowning, "I'm not telling anyone." He growled fiercely, thinking how stupid Bridger sounded.  
  
"Lucas, the only way I can help is if you tell other people. Your father wants you to keep your mouth shut, if you do, he wins. You have to get away from him, you have to be safe."  
  
"I need a smoke." Lucas mumbled under his breath.  
  
"What?" Bridger asked, not having heard what he said.  
  
"Huh, oh, nothing. I'm not telling everyone."  
  
"Lucas, of course not, but the people who care about would want to know."  
  
Lucas was shaking his head."No, never mind, this was a bad idea, forget I even said anything."  
  
Bridger looked at him in shock."Lucas, I'm not going to forget this, and I'm not going to let you either. I can't tell how glad I am you told me. I want to protect you, and so do your friends."  
  
"That's exactly what I don't want! Them staring at me and treating me like a leper. I haven't had your *protection* for the past 16 years and I don't want it or need it!!" Lucas was shouting now, on his feet, ready to bolt out the door.  
  
Bridger sat there. "Lucas, you know they won't do that. These are people who love and care about you and they trust you. Can't you trust them to stick by you and protect you. We may not have been doing it for 16 years, but you have to start somewhere, right?"  
  
Lucas, calm now, sat back down next to Bridger. "What if they blame me?" He said smally, it was one of his greatest fears.  
  
"Blame you? Blame you for what?" Nathan asked, confused. His eyes widened in sudden comprehension."Blame you for your father hitting you?! How can you even ask that?! Of course no one will blame you! Lucas everyone of your friends would probably jump off the ship to go and kill your father. Lucas they care about you very much, and would never let that man touch you again."  
  
Lucas nodded, he knew the captain was right. "What now?"  
  
"Well, how about we tell the others, and then we go to a judge."  
  
"A judge, what for?" Lucas eyes had become very large.  
  
"To get you out of your father's control." Bridger said softly.  
  
"Would I have to go to my mother?" Lucas asked fearfully.  
  
"No, not if you don't want to." Nathan replied.  
  
"Would I have to leave SeaQuest?"   
  
"Not if I have anything to say about it."  
  
  
  
  
(Present)  
  
  
The next morning, Bridger told the senior staff, and the rest of Lucas' friends. Lucas wasn't there, not that I blame him. I could barely take it when Bridger told everybody, and I already knew! After that, Krieg almost jumped out a porthole he was so ready to kill Lucas' parents. It was obvious that Lucas mother had to of known.   
  
The next step was to call a judge. A judge that happened to owe Bridger a favor. It wasn't some big custody battle in court. It was quiet interview-type thing in the judge's chambers. Lucas' parents weren't even there. When he told us, or rather the judge, what his father had done to him over the years, I thought the judge was going to burst into tears, and he has been a judge in the juveniel system for 20 years!  
  
I cried for a week after that, and destroyed my apartment, I was so angry at Lucas' parents. I still can't even fathom how they could have done that. Lucas was made into a ward of the state, but they let him stay on SeaQuest. I know he and Bridger wanted him in Bridger's custody, but even the judge couldn't get that done. I still can't figure out why, the lawyer explained it, but it was all in some legal mumbo-jumbo that no one really understood. His parents gave him up pretty easy, but there were a couple of reasons why. One, there would be no court trial of any sort. Two, it would never be in any sort of newspaper. And three, Lucas would not be placed in Bridger's custody. That was pretty much the major reason that Lucas couldn't be adopted by the captain. They almost refused to let Lucas go back aboard SeaQuest, but the only other option was a foster home, which no doubt would have drawn undue attention. The other conditions were fine with Lucas, he didn't want a trial even more than his parents didn't. But he got to stay on SeaQuest, even if he was a ward of the state.   
  
I think he's really okay now. The first couple of weeks and months were rough. He had nightmares five times a night, every night. He was quiet and withdrawn and he chain-smoked about three packs a day. Bridger of course found out, but he wasn't too upset, considering the circumstances. Now, he hardly ever has a nightmare, and he's trying to quit smoking. How do I know this? He calls me every week and lets me know what's going on. I was there with him, at the hearing. He asked me to be and I'm glad I could be there for him. We talk a lot, I've told him about my hellish childhood years, and he's told me about his. I'll always be there for him and I know that he knows it.  
  
He never told anyone about my past life; he destroyed the paper file of me and he deleted the one attached to the file in the computer. I've always wondered if he really would have told everyone about me. I don't know, and I've never considered asking him. That part of my life is over and he knows that.  
  
I actually talked to my father last week, for probably the first time in 10 years. He wasn't sorry and he had nothing to say to me, it was no doubt just as well, I don't need the reminder of my life 10 years ago.   
  
Well, I guess that about wraps it up. I think I have covered everything. The next time I write I hope I don't wait a year. Oh, there's the door, I have to go. Oh, wait, I guess I forgot to mention that it's Lucas' shoreleave this week, and here he is, waiting for me to answer, so I guess that I had better go. Lucas really is o.k. now, and for the first time in my life, so am I .  
  
  
***  
  
That's really it folks. There's the epilogue for those of you who asked me to tie up the loose ends. I hope that satifies you. Thanks for reading. Please review and/or email me at:  
  
mackynziegallacher@hotmail.com  
  
Thanks so much!  
  
Sincerely,   
MacKynzie Gallacher 


End file.
